Is West Virginia almost heaven? You betcha. This state is so beautiful it may bring tears to your eyes. Attending college in West Virginia will put you in close proximity to the hiking, whitewater rafting, birdwatching and fishing of the Blue Ridge Mountains. You will also see some of the last vestiges of America's Appalachian culture, with its bluegrass music, homespun values, and traditional folkways. People with a wide variety of interests find West Virginia an unforgettable place, and after attending college in this beautiful state, we suspect you might become one of them.

West Virginia Colleges: Court Reporting Degrees

Graduates are educated for interesting and challenging positions of responsibility and trust as official, freelance, legislative reporters, and realtime reporters.

Everyone today is searching for a recession-proof career. But what if you could combine job security with career flexibility? What if you could have the financial stability you need along with the variety and excitement you crave? You can with court reporting.

Court reporters may be employed by a court or legal office or may work freelance for a variety of legal clients. Any formal legal proceeding, from a private meeting in a judge's chambers to a large-scale trial in a courtroom, requires the services of a court reporter. Breaking it down to the bare basics, a court reporter's job consists of documenting official legal proceedings by creating verbatim transcripts of all statements - that includes every word said, as well as notes on physical and emotional gestures. Getting every word right is essential.

Most court reporters work using a stenotype machine connected to a computer. This machine allows them to note more than one key at a time and later turn notes into legible print. In other cases, a court reporter may use voice writing, repeating proceedings word-for-word into a special microphone, in order to record the trial or meeting.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there will be over 5,000 court reporting job openings projected through the year 2022. Add to this the flexibility to create your own hours and to ?be your own boss?, and it?s easy to see why court reporting was ranked as one of the 50 Best Careers by U.S. News and World Report.